"Here, use this, Tom," said Roger, offering an empty Martian water
container.
Slowly, the three cadets worked their way through the pile on the deck
in front of the hatch opening and then started on the main pile in the
opening itself. But as soon as they made a little progress on the main
pile, the sand would fall right in again from the open hatch, and after
two hours of steady work, the sand in front of the hatch still filled
the entire opening. Their work had been all for nothing. They sat down
for a rest.
"Let's try it a little higher up, Tom," suggested Roger. "Maybe this
stuff isn't as deep as we think."
Tom nodded and stepped up, feeling around the top of the opening. He
began clawing at the sand overhead. The sand still came pouring through
the opening.
"See anything?" asked Astro.
"I--don't--know--" spluttered Tom as the sand slid down burying him to
his waist.
"Better back up, Tom," warned Roger. "Might be a cave-in and you'll get
buried."
"Wait a minute!" shouted Tom. "I think I see something!"
"A light?" asked Astro eagerly.
"Careful, Tom," warned Roger again.
Tom clawed at the top of the pile, ignoring the sand that was heaped
around him.
"I've got it," shouted Tom, struggling back into the power deck just in
time to avoid being buried under a sudden avalanche. "There's another
hatch up there, just behind the ladder that leads into the passenger
lounge.
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